Grate-shaking guard.



J. L. SPANI.

GRATE SHAKING GUARD. APPLICATION FILED JANA, 191s.

' Patented Apr. '7, 191% witness as JOSEPH L. SPANI, F PARAGOULD, ARKANSAS.

GRATE-SHAKING GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 4, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914:. Serial No. 740,169.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. SPANI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paragould, in the county of Greene, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grate-Shak1ng Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in a guard or casing for the grate shaking rig commonly employed for shaking and dumping the grates of locomotives.

As is well known, the grates of locomotives are shaken and dumped by mechanism operated by levers under control of the fireman, these levers being located adjacent the deck of the engine cab or at the lower opposite sides or corners of the fire box. It frequently happens that in firing small pieces of coal drop or fall onto the grate shaking rig, thereby tending to clog the same and interfere with its operation. Furthermore such pieces of coal falling through the grate shaking rig are liable to fall onto the tail piece of the frame and onto the track.

In the present instance it is my purpose to provide means for protecting the grate shaking rig, my invention including guards or casings adapted to be placed over the grate shaking rig device at the deck of the engine, these guards being so constructed and formed that, while the rig-.may be operated freely, it will be protected from the falling fuel.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a rig guard which will embody in its construction the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and reliability and which may be manufactured and installed at a relatively low cost.

With the above-recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of the fire box of an engine and the engine deck, and showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top of my guard out from a metal blank and before bending. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the side and end section of the guard. Fig. 1 is a view taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates con ventionally the fire boX of an engine having the fire door 1. For the purpose of dumping the grate the usual lever 2is provided which is located at one of the lower corners of the fire box adjacent the engine deck, while 3 indicates a grate shaking lever similarly located, and adapted to operate the grate shaking rig. At the opposite lower corner of the fire box and also adjacent the deck is a grate shaking lever 4.

The numeral 5 indicates the water glass drain pipe, while 6 designates the usual gage cock drain pipe, these two pipes extending downward at the front of the fire box.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a pair of guards or casings indicated by the letters C and D respectively. The guard C is designed for the rigging at the left hand side of the deck, while the guard D is intended to be employed for the rigging at the right hand side of the deck. Each guard is in the form of a casing comprising a top section 7, formed of sheet metal having the side flange 8 and the end flange 9. These flanges are perforated as at 10 for the reception of rivets or bolts 11, by means of which the side section 12 and the end section 13 of the casing are fastened in position. The side and end 12 and 13 are preferably formed of a single blank of metal and are provided adjacent the upper edges with spaced apertures 14: for the passage of the rivets or bolts 11. The side member 12 of the casing B is slotted at 15, so that when the guard is in use, this cut away portion will form a slot for the dumping grate lever 2. Likewise this casing is formed with a vertical slot 16 through which works the grate shaking lever 3. The top of the guard C is slotted as at 17 for the passage of the water glass drain pipe 5. The guard D is provided with a slot or opening 18 for the passage of the gage cock drain pipe and has also formed in its side section 12 a vertical slot 19 through which the grate shaking lever may work.

Each of the guards C and D is provided at its end 13 with the suitably spaced apart and adapted to receive the spindle or bolt 21, which passes through the ring or bored lug 22 fastened to the deck, the guards being thus hinged perforated lugs 20,

so that they may be swung upward and outward to uncover the rigging. By the use of these guards the liability of the rig being injured is obviated and at the same time said guards are so constructed that they may be easily installed in connection with any of the well known operating devices now in use.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a guard of the class described, conprising a casing having a top section, a side wall and an end wall connected therewith, said side wall having a slot formed therein for the passage of the grate shaking lever, and means at the lower edge of the end Wall of the guard for hinging the latter to the engine deck,

2. In a guard of the class described, oomprising a casing formed of sheet metal and including a top having a slot therein and provided with depending side and end flanges, a side wall riveted to the side flange of the top and having a vertical slot formed therein for the passage of a grate shaking lever, an end wall connected to the end flange of the top and means at the lower edge of the end wall for hinging the latter to an engine deck whereby when folded back the end wall constitutes a rest and stop for the movement of Y the casing.

3. A guard of the class described,'com

)risin a casin formed of sheet metal and g 1 b 23 including a top section, a side wall and an 7 I. W. DRAKE, J. A. STAMPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I); C. 

